Records of Irish soldiers in World War I now available online

The names of the brave Irish men who fought in World War I have been made available online.

Digital records of Irish soldiers serving in World War I are now available online, following a collaborative project between Google and the In Flanders Fields Museum.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in the Northern Ireland executive, met the Irish government's Tánaste (Deputy PM) Eamon Gilmore in Dublin to mark the launch of the project.

"As we enter an important decade of commemorations in both our countries, it is my hope that what has been established here today will keep alive the history and the stories of those who did not return from war," Robinson said.

"This work will allow the stories of the fallen to be recorded for the benefit of future generations and will allow us to express our thanks and acknowledge the sacrifice of men who died helping to preserve our freedom."

McGuinness said, "Over 200,000 Irishmen fought in the war and over 49,000 were killed, which shows the human impact of the war on the island of Ireland. It is important all their personal stories are told and this innovative project ensures the memory of those Irish soldiers killed will continue."

The records are free and available to all worldwide. To access the records log into In Flanders Fields and type in a name to see the place of birth, rank, regiment, service number, date of death and place of burial / commemoration of each individual soldier with that name, where the information is available.

The names of the brave Irish men who fought in World War I have been made available online.